Is a Bark Collar Going to Train My Dog to Stop Barking??

Author: Neil Smith
Date Posted:3 February 2013

Is a Bark Collar Going to Train My Dog to Stop Barking?

After reading this article, why not check out our complete range of Bark Collars for barking dogs?

Will my dog still bark when an intruder comes in to my yard? How long will my dog need to wear the bark collar? How often do we need to put the anti bark collar on? All good and relevant questions, but by far the most common question is, 'Will the bark collar train my dog to stop barking?' Unfortunately that is not as simple as it sounds either.

All dogs are different

Not all dogs have the same temperaments, drive levels and motivations to bark. Therefore it is logical to expect that the effect of a barking collar on one dog will be different to that of another dog. When we look at humans, negative reinforcement such as traffic fines, jail, or corporal punishment will cause individuals to act differently. Some learn to comply on an ongoing basis, while others still break the rules whenever the opportunity arises. A dogs motivation to bark may be far less sinister than any evil motivating factor in humans but the differences in the way dogs react to the negative reinforcement of bark collars is in my opinion comparable.

What to expect

So what can most people expect from their anti barking collar once they place it on their dog? Firstly, most will be surprised at how few corrections your dog will receive before recognising that their barking is causing the unpleasant correction. This is true for any type of collar whether it be a electric collar or alternatively a lemon spray or citronella collar. If the deterrent is strong enough to break the barking your dog should give it up quickly! If not, you need to adjust the correction level or upgrade the collar. If your dog barks and barks whilst being sprayed with citronella you have the wrong product!

Assuming you have the right bark collar and it is correcting above your dogs drive level to bark, barking will stop quite fast. In most cases your dog will soon realise that the bark collar is causing the correction too! Most people will realise that the dog resumes normal patterns of behaviour once the anti bark collar is removed. In my opinion, this is a good indication that the collar is working appropriately. I do not think it is appropriate for bark collars to stop a dog barking completely, nor should someone with a barking dog problem expect it. Barking is a very natural way for a dog to express itself under various circumstances and situations, it would be unfair to expect a dog to quit altogether.

A planned approach is the best approach

Bark collars work best with a planned approach to solving your barking problem. For example, you have a dog that barks at possums in the night, the idea is to put your bark collar on before going to bed and leave it on for the night. Do this every night for a set period, no less than a month, and do not skip any nights. What you then create is a change in the pattern of behaviour in your dog, after this you can try leaving the dog without the anti bark collar on for a night. If your dog does not bark you have effectively used the bark collar to change the dogs behaviour in its reaction to possums. If your dog starts barking again on that first night you should repeat the routine for three months before attempting to leave the collar off for a second time! For some dog owners bark collars will become a permanent fashion accessory. It all depends on how driven or motivated your dog is when it comes to barking.

Follow these steps for best results:

Ensure collar is fitted properly, working and deters your dog from barking

Use the collar in a consistent routine at the times when you are trying to control the barking.

Check if the collar has changed your dog’s barking. If not, repeat step 4 for a longer timeframe.

As you can see, there is no exact science behind the recommendation of which bark collar is best for each individual dog. However, with our experience in dog behaviour, training and our product knowledge, I believe Bark Control can give you the best chance to fix your barking dog problem fast!